Soccer
Chris Richards’ productive 2025 year for club and country earned him a major honor on the international level.
Richards was named U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year of the Year, the federation announced Wednesday. He edged Malik Tillman and Alex Freeman for the award, as well as Max Arfsten and Matt Freese.
Richards received with 48.6% of the weighted total of voted, followed by Tillman (21.7%) and Freeman (13%).
“It means a lot to me to join a very prestigious list of players,” Richards said. “This has been a big year, and we have an even bigger year coming up. This shows how well we’ve done as a team and the momentum we are building towards the World Cup.”
Richards started in 11 of his 12 USMNT appearances in 2025, helping the squad reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final. The veteran defender earned Best XI honors for his positive run at the tournament.
He also helped the USMNT close the calendar year on a five-match unbeaten run in friendly play.
At club level, Richards helped English side Crystal Palace lift its first two trophies in club history. The Eagles defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup Final last May before also downing Liverpool 2-2 (3-2 on penalty kicks) in the FA Community Shield in August.
Crystal Palace also reached a European competition for the first time, taking part in the UEFA Conference League. The Eagles are currently in the knockout stage of the competition.
Richards is expected to remain a key part of both the Crystal Palace and USMNT squads as 2026 continues to push forward.
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